Lodestar Chapter 01
This is a bit of a brief break from the Harpers and their travails (and Lord knows, they really do need a reprieve, given all they've been through!), in favor of an even MUCH more heavier story. Picture this: The wife of one of the most prominent families in a mid-sized Texas college town is sleeping with the family's most persistent enemy! And the cherry popped on top? The vicious Gold-digger is engaged to said enemy and is pregnant with the older man's baby! But is there more to it than what is on the surface?! Also, the beginnings of a tender story which shows the strength and power of a long-time best friendship between one of the town's leading attorneys and his long-time beloved best friend. Make way for the insanity in the town of Lodestar! Chapter One It is a Mid-December evening and the weather is crisp and enriched with cool air (which was rather unusual given the location) and the Christmas season was in full swing. From an outsider's viewpoint, the community of Lodestar, Texas looks like a picture perfect town to an outsider's eyes. Lodestar, a fairly mid-sized city, is located about mid-point between Abilene to the west and the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex to the east, and has a population of about 31,000. It was a community where, like most Texas towns its size, they played High School Football on Friday nights in the fall; the college played football on Saturdays; everyone worshipped on Sundays, and life was, for the most part, normal or what would pass as normal. The steeples of the three largest churches in town were almost glistening in the cool evening air. The town's largest, the First Baptist Church located on Austin Avenue, the main east-west street of town, was well bedecked and their decorations were lavish. Many of the church's larger families, including the Hales and Hartleys, had donated the funds for the upkeep. The second largest, the United Methodist Church, which was a couple of blocks north on Commerce Street, the main north-south street, wasn't as lavish as the Baptists, but were passable. Some of the decorations were donated by Frieda Cottle's family, who had been bigshots in the UM church. The local Catholic Church, St. Agnes, was all decked out, but the Baptists were not too pleased with the gaudy imagery. Those decorations came from some members of the Childress family, they pulled a lot of weight in the parish and were the leaders of the Catholic community. They owned the Silver Spur Western Shop, which was on the Courthouse Square. Even the campus of Williams College, Lodestar's main institution of higher learning, was all bedecked with Christmas decorations and looked like a pristine village, this was thanks to the Hutchinson family, who were large backers of the college. As they didn't really support any church (they were Episcopalian, who worshipped at an Episcopal Church in Abilene), the college was their pet project. Even the Gold Star Bar and Grill, the town's leading restaurant/watering hole, was bedecked for the holidays. Mitch and Donna Erath, the owners of the place, went all out. The Gold Star was the town's main gathering place. Everyone was there at one point in time or another, either to get plastered or to indulge in one of Donna Erath's world-famous Chicken Pot Pies. So. Lodestar had a lot for everyone. However, a handsome looking young man, dressed in a requisite business suit, walked down South Commerce St. near the intersection of Austin Avenue. In the center of the Courthouse Square, the large community Christmas Tree stood tall and proud in front of the Sullivan County Court House. He looked around the Square, which was the Quintessential business section. The man, however, was not happy. Twenty-six year old Jonathan Hale wasn't happy, in spite of the festive decorations. In fact, he was rather incensed...at his wife. He had just received some very bad news. The Southern Baptists, the denomination he had been involved with since he was a child, had been talking about subjecting her to church discipline. For the past several months, Rumors had been flying about Jonathan's wife, Alzada. Reverend Lamb, the pastor of the Church, a close friend of the Hale family, was one who tried to keep any bad news about the Hales out of the news, but in this case, he had failed, and, as had been expected, word spread like wildfire all over Lodestar. Jonathan was proud of who he was. And he had very good reason to be. The Hale family were one of the most powerful families in Lodestar. They were also one of the original families in town. Jonathan's ancestors had helped found Lodestar. They founded and ran the Hale Agricultural and Farm Machinery company, one of the largest Farm Equipment manufacturing companies in North Central Texas. The Hales had helped build and nurture the town. They, as well as the Hutchinson family, had donated the funds for Williams College to be built (the main administration building was actually called Hale Hall); the Baptist Church had a Hale as a charter member; they had been a part of the community for many generations. Alzada Hale was born Alzada Castro, a member of one of the poorer families in Lodestar. A pre-eminent gold-digger, with absolutely no morals or scruples and more than an overflowing capacity for dissembling and wickedness. Considered by all in town to be a total slut, she slept her way through many of the town's most powerful families, the Wheelers; the Collingsworths; the Floyds; the Shermans; the Hemphills; the Swishers; the Potters; the Baileys; the Garzas and the Randalls. Her parents were long time servants at the Hale's large ranch home. Her mother was the head housekeeper and her father was the home's butler/majordomo. The ranch, a whopping 985,000 acres (which was quite large even by Texas standards), was located east of Lodestar, just two miles outside the city limits, and was one of the largest homes and working ranches in the whole area. Graced with the finest heads of Charolais and Santa Gertrudis cattle, as well as with their agricultural capabilities, the Hales ruled the roost in Lodestar...or so it thought. Another family, the Parmer family, was second tops in town. They were independent oil drillers of a small kind of variety, not like Hunt Oil, Mesa petroleum or Valero, but were fast becoming a force to be reckoned with. The Hales had always got on well with the Parmer family, because they were hard workers and were of honest stock. The Hales actually found the family quite pleasant company. Their biggest fight was with the little-known Hemphill family, a family who had money in the financial sector, who were forever trying to break into the social fabric of Lodestar, but they never could. What made Jonathan's day was the news that Andrew Parmer, who was one of his best friends, had struck oil in the Panhandle area, outside of the town of Stinnett. That strike was a huge gusher and upped the Parmers to equal status with the Hales, which was a boon. He talked with Andrew and they had planned a celebration for later on. But there was much WORSE to be had. Alzada had matched up Jonathan's younger brother, Quentin, with Brett Parmer, Andrew's younger brother, mainly to get rid of those two losers. As it turned out, Quentin and Brett made a good couple, Jonathan thought so, but he felt that Alzada, who just could never leave well enough alone, was interfering too much in Quentin's life. Also, Alzada did what she did out of sheer malicious motives. He saw Quentin and Brett and he waved, including Brett in the wave. They waved back, smiling. He was nice to Brett, as he was nicer than the Hemphills. Their father, Darryl, passed away some months ago, so it was just Andrew and Brett living in their huge mansion. Their long-time live-in housekeeper, Sylvia Henshaw, kept a firm, but loving eye on the two young men. Shy violet Quentin was sweet-natured, compassionate to a t, fun-loving and was always joyfully busy with the company. Jonathan loved his brother's enthusiasm, his very strong work ethic and was proud of the job he did as the company's head accountant, which he threw himself into with gusto; but Quentin was also autistic, having stemmed from a brain fever he had when he was two. Ever since then, Jonathan was ferociously protective of Quentin, or Q, as he called him. Jonathan's main priority was that nobody hurt his younger, more vulnerable brother. "Hey, Jon," Quentin said, "what are you doing?" Jonathan smiled fondly at him, it pleased him when his brother even spoke. he was fully functioning, but he also had his times when he went completely non-verbal. "I just had to come to town, Q. I was at the office for a time," he said, "did you and Brett have dinner?" Quentin smiled, "We're on our way to the Gold Star, right now," he said, "Not really wanting anything bigger than that." Quentin's eyes grew worried, as he seemed to guess something was troubling Jonathan. "Something wrong, bro? Is it Alzada again?" Jonathan nodded, "Yeah," he sighed, "she's headed for being disciplined by the pastor! Can you believe it?!" Quentin nodded, "I can believe it, her being who she is," he said. The idea of Alzada always made Quentin upset. Brett nodded softly, "I get it, Jon," he said, "and I wasn't sure about wanting to tell you this, but we felt we have to." Jonathan said, "What's happened now, Brett?" He was afraid of the answer. Brett felt terrible, but he had to say it, "Well, Q and I were coming back into town from San Angelo, and I had seen what I thought looked like Alzada's car," Brett's eyes clouded over with pain, "and sure enough it was her car. But it was who she was with that angered me and Q after we found out." Jonathan squeezed his brother's hand, knowing his pain, "Who was she with?" he asked quietly. "She was with Truett Hemphill!" Brett said. "Your wife has been cheating on you with the town's biggest liar and hypocrite! I am so disgusted. I didn't want anyone else to tell you, because I felt that you needed to hear it from me." Everyone had known about Truett Hemphill. With him, to know him was to hate him! He brazenly claimed to have had long term ancestry through the Adair family, one of the biggest ranching families in Texas' history, but it was clear to all that he was a liar, a fraud and a hypocrite. Also, he didn't have a drop of Adair blood in him at all! He also passed himself off as one of the most moral people in town, being a big-shot in the Baptist Church, acting like butter wouldn't melt. Playing like the prim-and-proper man he wanted the world to see him as. He would sit in the front pews, sometimes even on the stage looking like he was completely without reproach. In fact, he was the one who had brought the initial complaint about Alzada to the church board, which he was head of, using it as a means of having Everett Hale, the patriarch of the Hale family, thrown off the board. Never mind that he left out that HE was the one Alzada was cheating on Jonathan with! This mealy-mouthed act was a declaration of war against the Hales and has severely caused a church schism which divided the oldest church in Lodestar, and the congregation was split into Pro-Hale and Anti-Hale factions. However everyone fell for his lies, and the schemer fooled his future wife, the sweet natured but quite naïve Angela Ochiltree, into marrying her fortune into his own. Angela's family, the Ochiltrees, were wealthy themselves, and Angela had wisely invested the money, but that never stopped the money-mad Truett from trying to embezzle from her. His excuse? "The money is partly mine, because you're my wife!" Angela had never bought that excuse, and she guarded her fortune jealously. It was later revealed that Truett had stolen his original fortune from the late Terrill Hockley, another old-line Lodestar family, whom Truett worked for as a financial adviser. He robbed the Hockley family; the Gray Family; the Moore family; the Briscoe family; the Donley family and the Armstrong families of all their wealth, and parlayed it into a fortune based on lies and deceit. The families affected all regained their fortunes over the years. After a very short marriage (lasting all of a year and a half, culminating with Angela giving birth to a daughter), Angela Hemphill discovered his blatant deception and lies, and left him. "You're trash, Truett Hemphill," Angela screamed, "and you wait, someone will get you and put a stop to you and your crimes and lies!" "I just bet they will, Angela," Truett laughed, "I will be a power in Lodestar and nothing anyone says will keep me from achieving that dream!" "Then you can burn in hell," Angela raged, "and I am taking Jennie with me!" "Oh no, you won't!" Truett threatened, "You take my daughter, I will see you dead in a few hours!" "You loser," Angela spat, "go and rot in hell, with the rest of the slags you trot in and out of here. I know you are a cheating liar, and I am gonna tell ALL!" Some months later, she had mysteriously disappeared while she was driving on the highway leading west to Abilene. Her body was discovered a couple weeks later. DCS had taken the then-infant Jennifer from her no-good father and she was adopted into the Hutchinson family. Nobody knew how it happened, or who had done it, but there was clear suspicion that Truett had the brake lines cut on her car and then he had one of his numerous thugs, which he utilized to exact revenge on his enemies, burn the car to destroy the evidence. "What about Jennifer Cochran?" Jonathan asked, "Does she know?" "Yeah, Jenn knows," Brett said, "Alzada out and out bragged it to her." Jennifer was the daughter of Truett and Angela. She had no relationship with her father, having grown up from infancy in the Hutchinson family. Most everyone knew her as Jennifer Hutchinson. Truett tried to steal her inheritance, but her father, Eric, a lawyer in town, and her older brother, Chad, himself a lawyer, put a stop to that, aided by her aunt Geraldine Ochiltree, Angela's older sister. Jennifer made her way in the world, knowing that she was adopted as a Hutchinson, and as loved and cared for as if she had been their own flesh and blood. She was happily married to Drew Cochran, a member of the Lodestar city council. She was also close friends with the Hartley family. Trent Hartley was the mayor of the city of Lodestar and Flo, his wife, was the head librarian at Lodestar Public Library. She was smart, but she was also a bit ditzy. However, she tended to be a bit acidic towards Wendell Roberts, the owner of the Feed and Grain Store, because he had a disgusting habit of manipulating her husband for his own ends. His son, Virgil, was no better. The Hales got on well with Jennifer, and they had liked Angela, who had been a best friend of Jonathan and Quentin's older sister, Sarah. They never liked Truett, because of his bad reputation, his hypocrisy, his propensity to lie and the other unseemly rumors that were constantly swirling around him. Although Lodestar was a mid-sized city with a well known college, it was still somewhat of a small town and everyone knew everyone else's business, due to the fact that most of the families having lived there for generations and knew each other intimately. "That woman!" Jonathan seethed, "How DARE she?!" Brett was understanding, "I don't blame you for getting angry, Jon," he said, "Alzada is a complete slut and tramp! She has been all her life, ever since she first started putting on lipstick. And she's deserving of all she gets! I am sorry that you had to hear it from me." Jonathan nodded, "It's not your fault, Brett, as a matter of fact, I am glad I heard it from you," he said, "at least you had the openness to tell me. Alzada did not. She thought nobody would find out. But I am sure by now, everyone in town knows." Just then, a dark-haired lady ran up to the assembled group. Quentin winced. He started to shake. It was Alzada. Her dark eyes were glistening with crocodile tears. She dressed like a Trollope and looked every bit the gold-digging little whore she was known to be. Jonathan's blue eyes were hard as ice as he stared at her. Jonathan was used to her scheming tactics, she would always turn on the tears and she would hope he would understand, but not this time! He did notice how scared Quentin was getting, he had always been bullied by Alzada; so, knowing his first priority was to his autistic brother, he walked up to him and wrapped his arm around him. "Q," Jonathan said, "are you all right?" Quentin was emotionally shutting down. Brett took him close. Jonathan whirled on his wife, his eyes cold as ice. "Jonny," she moaned, "I can explain everything. That Brett Parmer is a liar." "Spare me, Alzada," Jonathan said in a low and angry voice, "I know the whole story! And Brett is no liar." "You mean you believe that liar Brett Parmer over your own wife?!" she squawked. "Without question," Jonathan snapped at her. "You've lied all your life!" "Yeah he does, because he is entitled to know the truth about you!" Brett said acidly, "I am not going to be like the rest of this town and stand by and let your husband be lied to...especially by a vicious slut like you!" Alzada's eyes spit fire, "You know nothing about me, Brett Parmer," she snapped, "you know nothing about what there is of love between Truett Hemphill and me!" Brett snapped back, "And you're nothing but a gold-digging whore! That is all you are, and all you ever will be! You slept with my father, but he had the wherewithal to see you for what you really are and throw you out on your greedy backside. You married Jonathan Hale for his fortune, that was all YOU wanted! Just like a Castro, gold-digging all the way!" Jonathan looked at Brett with new understanding. Their families had been in the same circles for years, and never really talked majorly, but he was beginning to really like Brett. He and Andrew were awesome, far better than those lousy Hemphills! And Quentin was really happy with Brett. He and Brett shook hands. "Thank you, Brett," Jonathan said sincerely, "you just did me the biggest favor of all. I now know what I have to do." "I was glad to do so, Jon," Brett said, "we're friends, and I'm not gonna let that gold-digging tramp do you dirty." "Who're you calling a tramp, you loser?!" Alzada spat. "YOU!" Brett roared, "That's all you're good for! That is all you ever will be! Slutting around with every man in Lodestar!" Jonathan turned on his wife. "Get yourself home now, Alzada," he said coldly, "I'll deal with you later! And so you know, lady, you're going to be getting it for hurting and bullying Quentin!" A defeated but still defiant Alzada got back into the car she had gotten out of. She hadn't even began to reveal her own secret. She and Truett Hemphill were engaged and she was carrying his baby! Several hours later, at the ranch, Jonathan was talking with his mother, Marie Hale. Quentin and Brett were coming over later. Marie was the matriarch of the Hales and nobody forgot it. She was a nice, genteel lady, but cross her or do one of her loved ones dirty, and she can fight like a cowhand! Marie Dallam had been the only daughter of Samuel Dallam, the most powerful rancher in the area. She had met Everett Hale while at the University of Texas in Austin. She was one of the brightest sorority sisters at the campus and he was one of the most handsome of fraternity brothers. It was evident that despite their differences, she was beautiful, but was also tomboyish, due to her being a rancher's daughter, and his polished manners, they clicked immediately. They married after they graduated; she had also come into the inheritance of the ranch near Lodestar that her father had owned, and with some money they had tucked away, they began their farm machinery manufacturing company. They made a vast fortune out of it, and also showed their adeptness at cattle ranching. Marie could look majestically beautiful at a party, but she was also well at home in a button down shirt and jeans, working the range, which she still did at her advanced age. Everett had always been at home ranching, and his knowledge of agriculture helped many farmers all over the country. When he retired as CEO of Hale Ag Equipment, Jonathan became his successor and brought the company spectacular wealth and fame. Everett was also proud that Jonathan took his younger brother, Quentin, under his wing. "Jon, what is wrong?" Marie asked her older son. "I found out what Alzada was doing," he said. Marie, quietly, looked at him, "I had a feeling it was that, especially during dinner, when you did not even speak to her." "Brett Parmer told me who she was with," Jon said sadly, "She was messing around with that idiot Truett Hemphill! Of ALL people! Truett Hemphill!" Marie nodded, "I know, darling," she said, "I have no liking for Truett either, especially after the end run coup d'état he pulled on your father with the church board, but I never thought that he would even be nosing around Alzada. Given that he had gossiped about her!" "More the other way around," Jonathan said bitterly, "she kept pushing. Not to mention he left out his involvement and basically threw her under the bus. Also I have issues with the way she's harassing Q. If I thought it would help, I would see her destroyed." "Honey," Marie said, "I understand your concern for Q. I always have. You've always taken wonderful care of him, ever since he had his diagnosis. I know how you care about him, and I know you worry that Alzada could cause him trouble. I'll watch out for her, and I'll make sure she leaves him alone." Just then, Alzada marched in.....with Truett on her arm. Marie was appalled. Jonathan's eyes were wide with shock, and then anger, as the woman who had made his family so unhappy had the gall to march her new conquest into HIS home! "Of ALL the nerve!" Marie spat in a low furious voice, "This is how you treat this family! By bringing in your latest in a string of forbidden lovers into this house?!" "You DARE to bring your paramour into OUR house?!" Jonathan snapped. "Yes, I dare!" Alzada sneered, "And there's nothing you two twits can do about it! Truett is a far more popular person than this stupid family! The Hemphills rule, the Hales drool!" "You miserable haughty madam!" Marie seethed, "You dare to parade your latest conquest in front of MY son?!" "Yeah, and what are you going to do about it, you old bitch?!" Alzada said coldly, "Your family's rule of this town is over! The Hemphills are the new power!" "What in the world are you talking about?" a female voice said on the landing. It was Sarah Hansford, Jonathan's older sister. Tall, blond-haired and gorgeous Sarah had come downstairs when she heard the ruckus. She had her mother's impressive beauty and her dad's famous quick wit, sense of humor and his sense of determination. Sarah was married to Bryan Hansford, the president of Lodestar Bank and Trust Company, one of the town's leading banks. He was a wonderful husband, and was very good to Sarah. They lived quite well in a ranch style home located on tree-lined Ash Street. She had been visiting her family for dinner, since Bryan was at a banking convention in Houston and since he was gone for a few weeks, she was staying with her parents. "Mother? Jon? What's happening?" Sarah asked again. "My wife, and I used that term loosely," Jonathan said, glaring at Alzada, "has just been caught in flagrante delicto with Truett Hemphill!" Sarah glared at Alzada, "Is this true?" she said icily, "I've been hearing the rumors flying all over Lodestar about this! Bryan told me that the so-called 'honorable' Mr. Hemphill had been embezzling money from the bank via wire fraud!" Truett glared at Sarah, "Oh really?! Your stupid husband knows NOTHING about it," he roared, "there is NO proof!" Marie shot him a vicious look, "You don't speak to my daughter in that manner, sir! Especially in MY house!" she snapped at the homewrecking embezzler, "I reckon if we looked hard enough, Hemphill, I am sure we can unearth the proof, can't we? Not to mention all the money you embezzled from other families over the years!" Alzada glared at her mother in-law. "Nothing you say could change my mind on what I feel for Truett! In fact, he asked me to marry him!" Jonathan looked sickened, Sarah ran to her younger brother. "You're still married to me, Alzada!" he spat, "you're engaged to be married to the biggest liar and hypocrite in town?! You truly sicken me!" "You miserable madam," Sarah spat, "it's clear you care nothing about bigamy!" Alzada smiled nastily, "No, Sarah, you're right, I don't care a fig about bigamy. Destroying your family is what my plan is, and Truett is the perfect person to ally with! And there's more," she said, her eyes glinting with evil glee, "I am pregnant with Truett's child!" Sarah, Marie and Jonathan were astonished. Truett was in his sixties, and had a grown biological daughter, who thought nothing of him, which was good for her, given what he did to her mother. Everett came in, he was wondering what was going on. "What's all the ruckus about?" he asked. Alzada glared at her father in-law. "I am throwing over your stupid son, you damned old fool!" she sneered gleefully, "I am engaged to Truett Hemphill, your worst enemy, and I am carrying his child! Everyone wondered why I would not give Jonathan a child?! I didn't love him. I never HAVE loved him! I merely used him for his money, like I always do. I did it to Aaron Armstrong; Derek Swisher; Anthony Bailey; and Del Ray Collingsworth, and I got what I wanted. You damned high-and-mighty Hales were asking to be taken down a few pegs, and I was glad to have done so! Truett and I will be so happy!" Jonathan shot back in fury, "You're lucky that Roxanne Randall didn't beat the tar out of you for dallying around with Del Ray!" he yelled, "Not to mention that poor Aaron Armstrong left town to move to Houston. He's gay now, thanks to you!" Sarah's eyes bored into her former sister in-law, "Jon's right. I'm surprised that she didn't bust you one for messing with her man," she said sarcastically, "she'd have had every right to put you in the hospital!" "Derek Swisher has never forgiven her for driving Aaron out of town," Everett said, "he told me that he wants to make Alzada pay for what she did to them." Jonathan was furious. "You make me sick, the pair of you! Get out of here, Alzada Castro," he said savagely, "I never ever want to see your ugly face again! May you and that Hemphill bastard rot in hell for what you did!" Alzada smiled gleefully, "Let me lay it on the line for you, Jonathan Hale," she said, proud of her deceit, "Truett is a lot better in bed than you ever were!" Sarah marched up to her now ex-sister in law, and roundly slapped her face hard. "You deserve that, madam!" she spat, "and far MORE than that! You're nothing to this family, but an interloper!" Everett glared at her, "Get out of my house, you miserable slut!" he roared, "you have no rights here anymore! I will make sure that your marriage to my son is annulled. Then you can go and marry that damned bastard! I hope you get thrown over for what you did!" Truett laughed, "Don't you worry about that, Hale!" he scoffed, "I will treat Alzada like the queen she is!" Jonathan erupted, "Get out of my house," he yelled, "the pair of you!" Sarah shoved the laughing duo out, "If you EVER show your face on this property again, you will be arrested for harassment!" she spat. Truett and Alzada ran off laughing, glad they stuck it to the Hales. Everett looked at his family, Quentin and Brett had come into the house as Alzada and Truett ran off laughing. Everett looked at his youngest son, worried about what she had done to him. "Q, did she hurt you at any time?" he asked gently. "No," Quentin said, "but that beast she was with did." Marie looked at him quizzically, "What did he do to you, honey?" she asked. Quentin sat down, Brett sat next to him, Sarah put her arms around him, and Jonathan took his hand. Quentin tried to keep his voice from breaking. "Q?" Sarah asked, "did he threaten you in any form, honey?" Quentin nodded wordlessly, when he was very upset or something he saw would upset him, he became non-verbal. Brett understood it, as did the rest of his family. "Marie, get Quentin to bed," Everett said, "Brett, you can stay here if you want. We've got a guest room set up for you. Tomorrow, I am going to the Baptist Church, and we're pulling our names from the roster!" The family was shocked. "But, why Dad?" Sarah asked. After the trouble that Truett Hemphill has caused," Everett said, "we're renouncing the Southern Baptists and joining a more liberal church. I know several members of the church who are willing to leave because of Hemphill's conniving. I know that bastard Hemphill tried to have Brett and Quentin 'Churched' for their relationship, and now with him tied up with that Alzada, his so-called 'sanctimony' has been exposed for the world to see as the lie and fraud we've always known it to be! And I am going to make sure he is destroyed! Nobody messes with MY family, or MY town, and that Truett Hemphill will find that lesson out...the HARD way!!!" Category:Lodestar Episodes